Recently, I had a thought.
I wondered what would my life look like if my passions were the same as Christ's passions? And furthermore, what if my burdens were His burdens. I didn't want to lose my thought so I quickly wrote down two words in my journal, "Passions/Burdens". From that point on I began seeking to see what God wanted to speak to me about these two words.
It did not take long for me to see God piecing together things.
First, I felt God saying to me, "Be passionate for Me. You have been passionate about many things in life and good things have come from your heart's desires but focus on your passion for Me and see great things flow for Me."
It's true. I have been passionate about many things. I was passionate about college and pursuing my nursing degree. Then I was passionate about getting a nursing job and learning all I could about my new profession. I was passionate about becoming a mother. Passionate about being a good mother. Passionate about helping in church and in schools. None of these are bad but without Jesus being my first passion they were always lacking something. These things are out of order without Him first.
I heard God say, "Let me be first."
God continued to show me His wisdom.
It's funny how he pieces things together sometime.
While attending my son's high school graduation services a high school student delivers her address to the audience and speaks about her pursuit to find her passion. And it caused me to reflect back to when I was in high school. I believe I did the same thing as this graduating student. I looked for my passion. I remember being passionate about different subjects of study and different topics of debate in my classes and then, well, you have the list already. Nursing school, career, motherhood, ect.
Often Jesus was in the mix. But was He my passion? Did I share His passions? Were my burdens His?
And God did it again. In that funny way He put a another piece together for me.
I sat out on my patio and studied a Sunday school lesson and then somehow I ended up turning to the book of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah.
And there I became engrossed in the pages describing the King's cupbearer and His determination to restore a wall....His determination to do God's work....His determination to pray for God's people.... His determination to stand firm in the face of adversity....
His passion for God. His burden for God's people.
God is still showing me the pieces.
I am digging deep. Paying careful attention.
Sitting at His feet.
Listening, lingering. Learning.
May my passion be Christ. May my burden be His.
~ Jodie
Lord, Let my passion be Christ, let my burden be the Lost. Let me be eager to share my passion with those I am burdened for! Amen
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